Richlands grad Matthews wins fifth race at Carteret County Speedway

PELETIER — Tyler Matthews started at the back but finished at the front, picking up his fifth victory of the season while padding his lead in the standings at Carteret County Speedway.

The Richlands High School graduate started at the rear of the field Saturday night due to a hard part change after qualifying, but then Matthews was able to inherit the lead on lap 18 in the first of two Late Model Stock Car feature races when Chris Burns spun off the front bumper of Michael Tilley in a battle for the lead.

Once Matthews got the lead, he never looked back as he drove away for his sixth win of the season and his fifth at Carteret County Speedway.

“It definitely helped us out to get to the lead early,” Matthews said in a news release. “We were a tenth faster than that whole lead pack getting to them so, I knew once we got to them, we could get by them, it just might take a little bit of time. They were racing real close so I was on my toes there. I saw it coming so I kind of laid back. It was great that we came out with the lead and we set sail from there.”

Burns got his redemption in the second of two races, snapping a winless drought that dated back to last October.

Burns passed Eric Winslow in the opening laps of the race to take the lead and held back challenges from Matthews, among others, for the fourth of his career in a Late Model Stock Car.

“We have worked our tails off on this thing all year long,” Burns said. “Nothing but bad luck. We’ve been through rear ends, this that and the other, just breaking stuff and involved in a bunch of wrecks that really weren’t our fault. It does feel good to finally win.”

With his victory, Burns is the first driver to compete in Eastern Carolina Late Model Mania races at both Southern National and Carteret Count speedways to win. However, with an average finish of 6.25 in his two best results from each track, he trails Eric Winslow and Rusty Daniels in the ECLMM series. Winslow has an average finish of 3.25 and Daniels has an average finish of 3.75 while Burns has an average finish of 6.25, with two races remaining – twin races at Carteret County on Sunday.

“If we can pull off another win next weekend, I think it would be pretty good,” Burns said. “I know Rusty had good finishes the last two races at Southern National. If it’s going to be between anybody, it will be between me and him unless Mason [Diaz] comes.”

Brandon Clements and Jonathon Belfiore continued their dominance in the Mini Stock and Street Stock divisions. Clements led wire-to-wire in the Mini Stock race while Belfiore dominated in the Street Stock feature. Zac Reimer scored the victory in the U-CAR division.

Brenton Irving prevailed in a thrilling Legends feature, holding off his father, Shane. Nolan Allison passed Jessica Bean in the middle stages of the USAC Midgets feature to triumph in their 35 lap race.

In the Bangers division race, Tony Harker got the lead with a late race pass on Tasha Raynor. Meanwhile, Aiden Hetu won in the Mini Cup race, Carmen Odum won in the Junior Mini Cup class and Kaleb Bradley passed brother Jacob late to score the Bandolero victory.

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